Second Life
by Pixii1319
Summary: Emily is a young woman who has a dark heritage. Her father, a man she's never met, has died and those who killed him are coming after her. Why? They think she knows something. And she does. She's on a mission to find him before they do. Find who? A demon. Emily Phantomhive is about to inherit another part of her father's legacy: One hell of a butler.
1. Chapter 1

Second Life- Chapter 1

Sebastian heard the call through the ether, the screaming pain and fury of another human soul entwining within hundreds of others in the oppressive blackness surrounding him. He stirred only slightly in his slumber, used to the cacophany of victims that called his name in their hour of need.

He was bored with it all.

He had never imagined it would get this far. The centuries spent cultivating the pefect human, of feasting on their souls had been the highlight of his cursed existance. He had met so many interesting creatures along the way, had seen so many things...and in the end, his most prized soul he had never gotten to taste. Something close to grief pulled at his insides, but he pushed it away, along with the image of the dark-haired boy he had left to survive him.

But the time had come. The moment when the thought of a soul as black as his own did not enthrall him like he wanted it to. He was tired of staring at a dirty reflection of his own sins.

He continued to push away the calls, ignored the cries for revenge and let the voices fade, let his mind slip further and further into blackness.

 _Sebastian Michaelis?_

The soft feminine voice pulled at him, a plea that felt...pure. Her spirit smelled like lilacs and honey. Something about it felt familiar, but different.

 _Please, Sebastian, I was told you could help me. Anything... I just need your help._

Did she not know who- no, what he was? That seemed impossible, yet here she was, a human asking him for help. Not with vengence, or some warped sense of justice, but just help.

He'd tasted bittersweet chocolate for so long. And now, someone was offering him fresh fruit.

 _Sebastian, please._

A strange feeling of Dejavu ran through him. The boy flashed through his mind once more.

The Demon opened his burning crimson eyes.

How could he resist?

England: 1901

I stared out the large bay windows, marveling at the size of the grounds, the sea of green broken up by swaths of brightly colored flowers. You could tell that the land had been immaculate at one time, the blueprint was still there, but neglect had creeped through over the years, and it was being slowly swallowed up in overgrowth. It seemed tragic to me.

The house was the same. It was taken care of so that nothing was rotting or broken, but neglect of the details shone through, with chipping paint and dust coating the walls like fur, the house was moaning to me to save it. I wanted to, I really did. But that wasn't what I was here for.

I went over the plans again in my head. It was nearly time. Past midnight, and I hadn't heard any noises within the house for a while. Perhaps Frederick and the others were asleep now. I quickly changed, slipping into the shirt and trousers I had borrowed from one of the boys I helped tutor back home. He was bout my size, a bit smaller, and the clothes were a bit snug, but no one would see me, if things went right. I pulled on the soft boots I'd created myself, in preparation for the mischief I was going to be up to tonight. They were quiet enough to sneak around in, but sturdy enough to make my escape once I was done. I pulled on the small backpack with the things I would need to get away, and walked to the bedroom door. Putting the candle out, I let my eyes adjust to the dark before I cracked the door open, and slipped silently into the hallway.

The occasional lantern, turned low, illuminated the way through the halls, and I was careful not to let the boards creak underneath me as I passed each bedroom. All was dark, and I moved on.

I made my way downstairs without encountering anyone, and finally reached the kitchen. It was big, and part of me wanted to know what it would be like with happy servants chopping away at onions and stirring a nice pot of stew, but only for a moment. I gently picked my way across until I reached the root cellar. It wasn't locked, I'd made sure earlier today when I pretended to browse the area. Frederick thought I was planning on cooking there myself one day, and his amused and rather poorly hidden condescension made my eye twitch even now. That bastard was going to kill me at the first opportunity, and yet he had the audacity to look down on me!?

I'd show him.

I gently pulled the door open, grimacing as it moaned a creaked. I froze, listening, but no one came running. I let out a shaky breath, and made my way down the stone steps into the cellar. It was dark, and full of cowbwebs. I pulled a candle and match out of my bag and struck the red tip against the wall, before touching it to the wick. The slight smell of sulfur drifted through the air before dissipating. The flame flared briefly before settling into a nice soft glow. I began my mission.

The cellar was full of old junk, things from the house that were broken or unused and moved here for storage. I picked my way around it all, until i made my way to the far wall. There it was, just like the letter said.

I reached up and pulled on the iron candleholder as hard as I could, and it moved. I could hear something in the walls, and suddenly it shifted, revealing an open space big enough to squeeze through. My whole body tingled, whether from fear or anticipation, I wasn't sure. Gathering my courage, I slipped inside.

It was...nice. A rich carpet covered the floor, oriental by the looks of it. A beautiful little desk and leather chair positioned in the little space looked almost homey, and I suddenly had a realization.

 _This is where my father sat, where he wrote me those letters._

The ink bottle and feather pen were on the desk, along with the same parchment and envelopes... the same wax seal. My chest ached slightly seeing it. What could have been...

No, no time for that. I had to hurry.

I used the candle's meager light to search every crevice of the room. It had to be here somewhere. I pulled open the desk drawers, sorting through journals and what looked like account books, but i didn't see what I was looking for. I pulled everything out of the drawers, frustration building along with panic. It wasn't here.

It wasn't here.

I was going to die. As soon as Frederick and his minions caught me, I'd die, or else I would die whenever they realized that I wasn't going to help them with what they were looking for. Or that I couldn't. I'd failed my father, and I could only hope that the thing I was looking for remained hidden if I couldn't be the one to find it.

I fell into the leather chair, dust puffing up around me, and lay my head on the desk. Tears began to fall, and I let them. I knew that i couldn't go back to my village, they would find me. I had to run, and run as far as I could until I was caught. I couldn't outrun them forever, but I could buy myself some time.

Something caught my attention then, on the inside leg of the desk. An etching in the wood. It didn't look like a normal scuff, it looked... like a star!

I pushed myself down off the chair and onto the floor, and sucked in a deep breath. Someone, probably my father, had carved a star into the desk leg. I ran my fingers over it and felt the wood shift, and realized i could pull a small section of the wood out. A hidden compartment. I grinned from ear to ear.

Inside the little whole was a scrap of silk, and a silver chain fell out. This was it. I believed my father, then, all the things he had told me that seemed so unbelievable, maybe they were true. Maybe there were things in this world...things we couldn't see.

I crawled out from under the desk and stuck my hand in the glow of the light. I could make the front of the locket out, a five pointed star etched into silver. I opened it, expecting to find a picture of some kind, but instead, a name was etched inside.

His name.

Should I leave here first? Find a safe place, then call him? While I deliberated over it, a sound from above froze my blood. Voices. I could make out Frederick's voice, sounding annoyed.

Oh God, they knew I wasn't in my room.

There was no time. It was now or never. Screwing up my courage, I closed my eyes, and called him.

"Sebastian Michaelis."

When I was eight, I began receiving the letters. A quiet old man in a black servant's uniform would appear once a year, with his white envelope and a rose. He would always find me whenever I was alone, whether it be out in the meadow somewhere reading a book, or at home when my relatives were out for the day. He never said anything, just smiled and handed me the letter and rose and disappeared from wherever he came. The letters themselves were from my father, a man I had only heard was a Londoner who my mother fell in love with, and had a tragic affair before he left her and vanished. It drove my mother crazy, and she turned to alcohol to drown her heartache. It was the heartache that killed her, although the alcohol helped it along, no doubt. i had lived with my aunt and uncle ever since. Kind enough people, but distant. I wasn't their daughter, and they weren't my parents.

My father's letters had given me an amazingly detailed and almost unbelievable tale of his life, from childhood to when he met my mother. He called himself cursed, had begged my forgiveness for not coming to get me and take me away to live with him. Everyone around him perished, it was his lot in life to survive everyone he loved. My life would have been in constant danger too, he said. I don't know why, but I believed him. I felt his sorrow in each pen stroke, and it felt like I received a piece of his soul every letter that came.

Almost six months ago, after my 17th birthday, the old man found me walking on the road to the next town to buy some things I needed for repairing one of my older gowns. It had been so cloudy that day, a storm rumbling off in the distance, growing closer. He stood in the middle of the cobblestone road and looked at me with such grief. He held a letter in his hand, and as I took it I nearly dropped it from shock. A dark red smear ruined the whiteness of the envelope this time...dried blood.

 _My dearest Emily,_

 _If you are reading this, know that my demons have caught up to me, and I am no longer of this world. I cannot forgive myself for leaving you, although I knew that my fantasy of reuniting was just that, a fantasy that I could never fulfill. I am a cursed man, my daughter, and my time has been called. I do not mind that, as I have always lived as if dead, with only a few flares of true light in my life. You are the brightest of them. I have watched you from afar, in my own way, and seen what a beautiful and kind woman you have grown up to become. Much like your mother, before I ruined her life. And that is why I've had my servant send you this. There are those who will not be satisfied with my passing. Even now, I suspect they are learning about your existance, and will come calling for you soon. Do not run from them, they will find you wherever you go. They are monsters more than even I am, and you cannot possibly fight them and win, although I know that you would try. You are a brave young woman, Emily, and if you remain so, you can make it through this, but not alone._

 _These men will likely come disguised as friends, and find a way to lure you to the Phantomhive mansion outside of London; my home. Let them, for inside this house is the answer to saving you. God help me, but in order to save you, I am going to have to put you in the way of a danger even worse than the men after you, but know that I believe in you, and that if anyone can control him, you can. I feel it in what's left of my pathetic soul._

 _When the house is quiet and everyone is asleep, sneak into the cellar and find the candleholder on the far wall, left side. Pull it down with all your strength. A door will open, and you'll find what you are looking for inside. You'll know it by its star. Take it, and call his name._

 _Do not trust anyone, Emily, even him. If you want to survive in this world, you have to control everything in it._

 _Burn this letter after you read it. Make sure nothing remains but ash._

 _Good luck, my love._

 _Your father,_

 _Ciel Phantomhive._


	2. Chapter 2: To Summon A Demon

Hey all! Thanks for hanging around for chapter 2! It's finals week, so if you were wondering at the delay, it was just me in panic mode lol. This chapter is somewhat short, I was going to have it longer but decided to go ahead and put something out for you. I should be posting much more regularly soon! I hope you enjoy, and as always, please feel free to review!

Chapter 2: To Summon A Demon

At first, I saw nothing, felt nothing. Then, out of the corner of my vision, it happened; a shadow growing out of the corner of the far wall, spreading like a massive ink stain, until the entire corner was shrouded in darkness. The energy emanating from it was like electricity on my skin, and for the first time, I began to question my resolve.

The figure that stepped out of this dimensional darkness was tall and lean, clothed in a robe as dark as the shadows he'd come from. Slender, bare feet walked slowly in my direction, and my eyes traveled up, catching a glimpse of a pale, muscled chest, before i got to what had to be the most beautiful face I'd ever seen. Glowing red eyes watched me with curiosity under the darkness of the hood.

What in God's name had I summoned?

"This isn't quite what I expected." The smooth baritone voice sent shivers down my spine. The man took a step closer, and on instinct I stepped back, before forcing myself to stop. He noticed anyway, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His gaze traveled down from my face slowly, taking in the boy's clothing, the dagger at my hip, and my hand so closely positioned to it. "That would not be a good idea." He seemed amused.

Fear crawled along my skin like little spiders. There was little I could do for now, except play the game. I let my hand drop."Who are you?" _What are you?_

"Hmm? You summoned me and you do not even know the answer to that?" He moved around the room slowly, keeping that small bit of distance between us as he casually examined his environment, spidery white fingers brushing aginst the shelves as he took everything in, always keeping me in his line of sight. "You are either incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid. Or both."

Heat crept into my face. "You haven't answered the question."

A thin elegant eyebrow lifted at the anger in my voice. "Touchy." His brow furrowed suddenly, and I watched a thought cross his mind. "Touchy indeed."

He disappeared in a blur.

"Shit!" I felt a wind against me and suddenly I was pinned into the leather chair , caged by black silk and strong arms. That flawless face was inches from my own, the hood fallen away exposing jet black hair.

"You seem...familiar to me." That voice was soft, like a caress, and my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. "Familiar, but new." He bent closer and breathed in deep, smelling me. A delicate fingernail grazed my neck, and I gasped as I felt the sharp pain, and the trickle of blood that ran down my skin. Before I could think, the thing pulled my head to the side and his tongue flicked across the cut.

"Ciel", he sighed happily.

"Try again", I growled, furious, and pulled my leg in, kicking for his abdomen.

He dodged me easily, pulling out of my range, his laughter like deep bells ringing in the air. I felt confused, off balance. "What the hell are you?"

His laughter died off, but his smile remained. "My apologies, I haven't addressed you properly. My name, as you know, is Sebastian Michaelis." He dipped his head slowly in greeting. "What I am...well your father must have left out some information. You see, I'm a demon."

 _Damnit, father. What did you do?_

I jumped as i heard the footsteps entering the kitchen area. More than one set. "She has to be here somewhere, look for her!" The angry growl had come from Frederick. Oh no, I was out of time.

The demon watched the emotions crossing my face. "I take it they are not friends of yours."

"No", I said, voice shaking. "They are the men that killed my father."

The room went eerily silent, and I watched something awful slide across Sebastian's face, whether it was anger, grief, or something else, I couldn't say, but it disappeared into that smooth facade as quickly as it came.

"Dead? Ciel's dead because of them?"

"That's what his letter said." I was too busy worrying about finding some form of escape to realize what was about to happen.

"I see", came the soft reply. He walked to the doorway, stopping to turn back and look at me. "Stay in here. Do not open that door until I say, do you understand me?" Those eyes... something dark was swimming behind them now.

"Okay, but what are you-" Almost too fast to see, he had disappeared through the doorway, slamming it shut behind him. I ran over to it, grabbing the doorknob, but I froze.

What I heard next made my blood run cold. The yells of surprise turned into screams, and other sounds that I couldn't, no didn't want to understand; bones breaking, skin ripping... I'd unleashed something horrifying onto my father's murderers.

And I was glad.

I put my back to the door and slid down, wrapping my knees against my chest as I waited for the screams to stop.


	3. Chapter 3: Her father's daughter

**Chapter 3 is here! Sorry about the wait, I hope you all enjoy. I'm having some docx issues, so if you see a (**) it's a scene break!**

 **Happy Reading! And as always, drop me a line and let me know how you like it :)**

"You can come out now."

I didn't want to. I had heard enough. There was still someone in there, moaning in pain and terror, and the shaking in my limbs as I stood warned me that I might not be strong enough to handle what was on the other side of the door.

But I had summoned him. It was my responsibility to see this through.

My clammy hands wrapped around the doorknob and turned, the hinges creaking ominously. I pushed the door open, and stepped slowly into the basement. It was dark, except for a solitary lantern hanging from the hook on the far wall near the kitchen entry, but it illuminated enough for the horror to sink in.

Bodies lay strewn across the ground, throats slashed open and their mangled limbs contorted in angles unimaginable for anyone living. Their faces were mostly obscured by the darkness, but I saw the man I'd heard a second ago, crawling toward the kitchen door slowly,dragging his wounded body toward the only escape possible. The blonde hair shone in the lamplight. It was Frederick.

My stomach turned, and a wave of dizziness hit me, so strong that I fell back against the stone wall, grasping for anything to hold onto with head down to keep from retching.

My seeking hand caught on black silk.

"Jesus!" I lurched back, and slipped on a wet sticky patch on the ground. My hands braced myself, and sunk into the warm, fresh blood. I scrambled out of it, my heart racing impossibly fast, the world spinning around me in a terrible fog.

I looked toward the kitchen door, past the broken crawling thing that was Frederick, to the dim light beyond. I had to get out of here. I had to...

"Of course you would be unable to handle this," Sebastian sighed. I pulled myself on all fours, trying to get to the kitchen door as well, almost mimicking the pathetic Frederick in front of me.

"You are clearly too innocent for your own good. That cannot be helped, but it does make my job a bit more demanding." The swish of his robe behind me sent my heart into my throat, and although I was afraid to turn back, I couldn't bear not to. I rolled over in time to see that damned beautiful face sweep toward me, a pale hand with black nails reaching out to my face.

"Sleep now." His soft voice purred, and I felt my mind slip away into darkness.

(**)

"No!" I jerked upright, sitting in a soft, plush bed, surrounded by panels of sheer curtains. A small lamp on the bedside table barely illuminated the room, turned down to only a soft orange glow. I grabbed at my nightgown as confusion took over. My hair fell softly around my shoulders in loose brown curls, not the braid I remembered. My hands were clean, no trace of blood or anything. Had it been real?

"You aren't dreaming, no." That silky baritone carried softly across the room, and goosebumps raced across my skin as I squinted through the dark fabric of the canopy to the corner it had com from, where he sat in a small sofa, legs crossed casually and his hands clasped together almost as if he'd been interrupted thinking. I couldn't see his face in this kind of dark, but his eyes glowed as they had before, that soft red, that I could now see was more violet than ruby. I felt exposed in my nightgown. I'd never had a man in my bedroom like this before.

I had a moment of horror. "Did you...did you undress me?"

He blilnked at me, but from far away I couldn't see his expression well. "You were covered in blood, would you rather I have left you that way?"

I felt heat flood up my neck into my face. "I, I guess not." Maybe. Probably, but I wasn't going to admit that. Instead, I focused on something else.

"Did you kill him? Frederick." My voice came out steadier than I could have hoped.

"Did you want me to?" He asked, a sly tone creeping into his voice.

I froze for a moment. "I... I don't know", I admitted.

He uncrossed his legs and stood up, slowly coming toward the foot of the bed. I felt myself back up, shoulders hitting the headboard. I couldn't help it, I was scared.

A delicate hand reached out, gently pulling away the curtain panel. "You do not know if you want him dead? Surely you must, if he killed your father." He stared at me, waiting for an answer. I had a feeling it wasn't one I should give without thought.

So I thought about it. Frederick had conspired with the others to kill my father, somehow. I didn't know why, or who else was involved, and that had been one of my main reasons for not running. I had wanted to find out the truth.

"I guess... I did want him dead. I just didn't want him dead until I could find out why...who had ordered my father murdered."

Those eyes seemed to glow brighter for a moment. A small smile tugged at the corners of Sebastian's mouth. "You think others were involved?" The way he said it made me realize how obvious the answer was.

"Of course there were others." I sighed, feeling a small headache beginning to form. Too much stress in too short a time, I thought. " Frederick wasn't smart enough, nor powerful enough to kill my father himself, he was probably just a lackey of someone else." I looked up at that devil and his grin, and growled. "I guess I will never know, now."

His chuckle brought me up short. " Is that so? Mmm, I guess it is a good thing then, that I haven't killed your Frederick yet."

My eyes widened, realizing what he was saying. He had kept him alive. For me?

I felt a grim determination take hold. "Take me to him."

The demon bowed slowly, hand across his chest. "Yes, my Lady."

(**)

I stopped in front of the study door, gathering my courage, and steeling my face to remain blank. I couldn't let my nerves fail me on this.

The damned demon smiled at me, lowering his head in some sort of servant-like gesture. He was dressed the part as well, having somehow found a butler's outfit somewhere in the mansion. It fit him perfectly, which was strange, but I had no time to really question it. I had put on my last set of boy clothes, tying my hair into a severe braid. I didn't want to look like some...girl. I wanted Frederick to know I meant business.

I glanced over , and now he was in some sort of butler suit. He looked as beautiful as before though, and only slightly less terrifying.

I nodded at him, and he reached out and swung the study door open. What greeted me inside was both awful and at the same time, satisfying. Frederick was tied to a wooden chair, his side bandaged up, and I remembered the massive wound there, that had resembled claw rakes. I forced myself not to look over at the demon.

Frederick's left eye was swollen shut, and his other watched me, pleading but wary at the same time.

"Emily, please. Please save me from him." His mouth was bruised and lip swollen, and I could see that Frederick really believed that I could be swayed by him.

I considered my options. How best to play this?

"Frederick" I said, letting my voice fill with sympathy. "Are you... are you okay?" I glanced over at the demon, letting fear show in my eyes, before quickly looking back at the man who had set all of this up. I could hear a small sharp intake of breath from the monster in the corner.

"Emily, I don't know what... that... that _THING_ has told you, but he killed us Em, he killed all of my men. You have to help me, I can stop him." His voice was cajoling, even while his gaze constantly cut to the butler leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest in a manner that looked bored. He watched it all with a mild expression of amusement.

"No, Frederick, he's my friend." I moved closer to him. "He said that you were going to-" I cut my word off, letting tears prick my eyes. I'd always wanted to act, and watching Frederick's face, I knew I'd have been a good one. He was falling for it.

"Whatever he said, it is a lie!" Frederick hissed, his face twisting as he tried to convince me of his innocence. "Untie me, Emily. Tell me..."He swallowed hard, lowering his voice in the hopes that Sebastian couldn't hear, "tell me his name. I can stop him, we can get out of this alive."

"What do you mean?" I whispered. I put my hand on Frederick's knee, looking at him in what I hoped was a gullible expression.

"I can stop him. I just need to seal him into a contract with me. He's a demon, Emily. They all want contracts, but they'll serve the person they are sealed to until the contract is fufilled. I just need his name and the thing that you used to call him." His voice sounded more sure, as if he knew I would agree.

A contract, eh? Interesting. I pulled the locket out of my coat pocket, holding it in front of Frederick's face. "This? I summoned him with this, I think." Wide eyed and innocent, that's me.

"Yes!" He nearly yelled, before cringing and ducking his head. He looked up at me through those dusky eyelashes of his. Frederick was a handsome man, and I had struggled at first, with the beautiful face holding a murderer underneath. After watching Sebastian work though, I knew Frederick had nothing on him either way.

I nodded, standing up. "Thank you, Frederick. That's what I needed to know."

"What?" He was confused, poor man.

I walked over to Sebastian, who was no longer looking at me with amusement, but with something close to respect.

I lifted my chin, looking him right in those fiery eyes. "So, a contract with a demon eh? What's the price for your servitude then, my soul?" I said it jokingly.

"Yes, nothing more or less." Sebastian watched my face. I didn't turn away, I didn't want Frederick to see, but I couldn't disguise the panic I felt.

"What's wrong, Emily?" He tested out my name, rolling it in his mouth like wine. "Not what you expected?" He leaned down, his mouth next to my ear. "Everything has its price", he whispered.

I glared at him. "Maybe I don't need you anymore."

He grinned. "Maybe."

I swallowed a retort, and stomped back to Frederick. "You will tell me everything I need to know, Frederick. You will tell me how you killed my father, and you will tell me who else was involved."

Frederick looked at me, his face hardening. " I don't have to tell you anything."

The soft laugh from across the room made my blood boil.

"I could kill you, you know. I could slit your throat right here." I pulled the knife out of my hip sheathe, laying it against Frederick's neck. I forced my hand not to shake through sheer will.

Frederick studied my face. Finally, he smiled evilly at me. "You don't have it in you."

I counted to three slowly in my head, each number building a resolve in me to do what I did next. I raised my arm, and brought the knife straight down into Frederick's thigh.

"Fuck!" He screamed, and continued to scream for a while. I felt like puking, but I gritted my teeth and pulled the knife out. Blood poured out of his leg, and I looked around the room for something to staunch it. A hand dangled a black silk strip of cloth in front of my face. I looked up at Sebastian.

"I'm sorry for underestimating you," he said solemnly. "You are your father's daughter after all."

I took the scarf, not sure what to say. I wrapped it around Frederick's leg as tight as I could and tied it off. There was at least a lot less bleeding going on now.

Frederick looked pale and sweaty, but he'd stopped screaming. He looked terrified.

"Now Frederick, I have two paths for you to consider. One of them ends with you leaving this place alive, and the other ends with you in the ground. Which one do you want?"

Frederick shook his head rapidly, almost crazed. "They'll kill me, Emily. They'll kill me."

"I'll kill you, Frederick, if you don't tell me what I need to know." Jesus, whose mouth was this coming out of? I never could have imagined the coldness that was inside of me at this moment. The things I was capable of. I didn't think I could kill him though, if it came down to it. I wasn't that far gone. But he had to believe I would.

And he did. I could see it in his eyes. "Okay", he said, defeated, and his shoulders slumped.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked, watching him.

"We knew you were his daughter, we thought maybe he'd left you information."

"Information?" I thought for a moment. "You mean, information that would lead you to him." i jerked my head in Sebastian's direction.

"Yes. We didn't know though, didn't know you knew about your father yet. We were just hoping he had told you where to find it."

The locket. "And that story you fed me. About being his friend, about me waiting here to meet my father for the first time, that was all a ruse." I didn't ask, it was just a statement. It was obvious.

"Yes."

"Did you kill my father personally?"

"No!" Frederick denied fiercely. "There was no way I could have. He was strong. Ciel Phantomhive was far beyond anything I could kill, that monster." He cringed at the expression on my face. "I mean, he was strong. Stronger than anyone."

"Then how did he die?"

"Yes, how did he die?" Sebastian moved closer, and I could feel the calm menace lurking behind those words. So did Frederick. Bug-eyed, he stared back and forth between us, until he settled on my face as the least scary option.

"I was told your father was taken down by one of his top agents. Someone equally powerful." He whispered this like someone else would overhear. Paranoid?

"Who is he?" I growled.

Frederick blinked once, slowly, and I wondered if the blood loss was getting to him. Finally, he said in a low voice, "They call him The Mad Magician."

I frowned. "Who? Who is he?"

"Aleister Crowley."


	4. Chapter 4:A Bargain Struck

**Chapter 4 is here! Sorry it took me so long, It's been a chaotic holiday! Hope this helps kick off the New Year some :)**

My hands wouldn't warm up. They were stretched as close to the crackling flames as I could safely get, but the pale fingers seemed to remain cold. Sebastian watched me from the chair nearby, and I refused to look at him. I didn't need to see his face to imagine what he was thinking.

I'd washed my hands over and over again, but I could still feel Frederick's blood on them, like it had soaked into my pores and stained the skin underneath.

I'd stabbed a man in the leg. I had summoned a demon to help me stay alive, but now everyone was dead.

The sad part about it? The guilt I was feeling was for _not_ feeling as evil as I knew I must be.

"Are you going to stand there moping about what you did all night?" That voice made my eye twitch. I don't know how it was possible to feel more annoyed with a demon than afraid, but life was funny that way.

Refusing to turn around, I addressed the fire. "While it might be the norm for you, humans don't in general go around maiming others. And I am not moping, I am...reflecting."

"Reflect on the fact that you left that pathetic creature to scurry back to his master alive then, and not that you simply slowed his progress with a knife in the leg." He sounded equally annoyed.

I spun around, temper flaring. He sat there, so casually one would think that we had not just interrogated a man through torture. _He is a demon though, I doubt this is the worst he's done._ "You would have had me kill him? I'm not a murderer."

"No". He looked disappointed, "Not yet".

I scowled at him. "I'm not an idiot, you know. I had my reasons for leaving him alive."

That sardonic eyebrow came back up. "Oh, do enlighten me."

I sat in the chair across from him, assuming a posture I hoped looked equally casual. "There were three options. One: Imprison Frederick in this mansion. That would have been rather stupid, considering I do not actually live here, I have no staff to hold the man, no ability to feed him, and frankly I have a feeling that if I had held him, others would have immediately come looking for him."

"Very likely", he acknowledged, nodding for me to continue.

"I could have killed him, which besides not wanting to become a murderer, would have caused immediate backlash against me by the people he works for. One of their own going missing or showing up dead, and they would have hunted me down immediately. I don't particularly care for another house call that soon."

"Understandable", he said, and I again sensed that amusement lurking behind his voice. "That all makes sense, but what makes you think letting him go does you any better than the other options?"

"You." I raised an eyebrow of my own.

He blinked at me, and I could see his mind working. "Ah."

"Yes, letting Frederick go let's them know exactly where I am, but they also now know that you are here, and that will make them much less hesitant to rush in, especially after what I imagine is a very gruesome story about how their other men met their end."

"That won't hold you forever."

"No", I acknowledged, "it won't. Which is why we need to discuss a contract."

His attention sharpened considerably. "What would you like to discuss?"

I stood up and began to pace in front of the fire. I needed to choose my words carefully. " Well, first I need to figure out what exactly you can do for me."

"what would you like me to do?" So subserviant sounding now, but I knew better. He looked like a cat with a big fat canary hopping around in front of him.

"Well, not that I like admitting it, but I am only a young woman with no discernible means, and I cannot go back to my village." I hated the thought, but I hoped he knew what I meant.

He did. "You are the heir to the Phantomhive fortune. Your father would have left you with some means of claiming it, even if Frederick and this Aleister Crowley have found a way to waylay it. I can arrange for you to take residence here quickly."

I nodded, feeling a bit relieved. I did not want to be homeless. "I would also... well..." I didn't really know how to put it. "I'm not the most intimidating person in the world."

He laughed then, an actual, full throated laugh. It was beautiful, and even if I tried, I couldn't keep the sour face I wanted. I could feel a sheepish grin forming.

"Well, that is certainly true, but we can fix that." He stood up, holding his hand to his chin, thinking as he looked me up and now. "Yes, I imagine that if I could make a 10 year old boy terrifying, I can manage something with you as well."

"I don't just want to look scary, Sebastian. I want to know how to defend myself." Part of me expected him to tell me that ladies didn't fight, but he nodded as if this were obvious.

"Anything else?" He asked, expectant.

"I don't know, but if you could stay...stay and help me." I looked up at him, determined. "I am going to find my father's killers, every single one of them. They are going to pay for what they've done." I would avenge Ciel Phantomhive, or die trying. "In order to do so, I need power. I am worthless as I am now. I have no contacts, no understanding of the world my father lived in. You understand it, Sebastian. I need you to get me there."

His eyes began to glow slightly. "Then you are willing to make the contract with me? A soul for a servant?" I sensed danger here, and cleared my mind for the hard part.

"Tell me, Sebastian, what do you do with the souls that you take?" I was afraid to ask, but I needed to know. 

He looked a bit surprised, but after a moment, responded. "I eat them. Does that bother you?"

Hell yes that bothered me. I involuntarily took a step back, and his eyes registered the move.

"This is why I normally do not normally respond to the less desperate calls," he sighed, pushing himself up from the chair. "If you are not willing to sacrifice your soul for your cause, there is nothing in it for me."

"Wait! Hear me out." He looked bored, I could tell I was losing him.

"And to think, I came all this way because I thought you were special. I was willing to starve for as long as it took for your goals, whatever it was. I suppose I smelled Ciel on you without realizing it, but you are not him." He backed into the corner of the room, and I could see shadows forming. That damn rift between our worlds was opening.

Panic seized me. I had no more time. "Why would you starve yourself? Why not have some of it now?"

He froze and those red eyes flared brightly for a moment. Interest. "What do you mean by that?"

"It means, what if you don't have to wait to eat. What if you only took a little bit at a time?"

"Intriguing". The shadows began to fade, and he stepped a bit closer. "I've never tried that before. I'm not sure that would work, however."

"Tell me about... the soul", I encouraged.

He contemplated where to start. "Well, souls are like the life force of a sentient creature. It fuels them along with the body. You cannot survive without it."

I nodded. "Can you show me? What it looks like?"

A small frown wrinkled his forehead. "What does it matter?"

A thought was forming, not quite a plan, but...something. "Please?"

That word seemed to startle him. "Very well." He held out his hand, and a ball of energy appeared suspended above it, violet colored and constantly in a state of flux, almost like the logs in the fire, with flames dancing around it, growing and receding.

"Does... a soul regenerate?" At his confusion, I went on. "Well, I mean for instance, when someone experiences heartache, or trauma of some sort, they can either deteriorate or they can heal over time. Is the soul in any way able to regenerate itself?"

He began to see where I was going with it. "Yes, a soul, once damaged, can gradually replace what it has lost over time, if the damage is not too much too quickly. If it couldn't, humans would never be able to recover from the consequences of living in this kind of world."

I could feel it now, bit by bit, a plan was forming. "So, in theory, if you were to feed, bit by bit, on ...my soul," I said it quickly, uncomfortable with the thought, "I could regenerate it before your next um..."

"Feeding?" He whispered, and I could see he was becoming excited by the idea. Jesus, what a thing to contemplate doing.

"Yes", I swallowed hard. "If it's possible, I wish to grant you passage to this world and a sustained diet, in return for your help."

"Diet", his mouth twitched at the corners. He walked slowly closer, examining me in a way that was far too personal. Then again, I'd just offered him my soul, so I suppose formalities were too much to ask for. "Assuming that this could actually be done, and I truly do not know it can, what is to keep me with you if I get bored with just a small part of the soul now and then?"

He was too close, barely a foot away now. "Nothing, I suppose. If you choose to break the contract, then I cannot do much about it. You would be free to leave."

"Do you have so much confidence that you are delicious enough for me to stay in your service?" His hand reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and the gesture was so intimate I couldn't react. I just stood there, frozen.

"I..." I couldn't think.

"You do realize, that in order to accept such a contract, we would have to...test your theory?"

I nodded, barely able to process what he was saying. I'd never been affected like this before, by anyone. He was too beautiful, too dangerous. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as he drew an arm around me, pulling me closer.

"Do you accept me, Emily?" The way he said it, I should have clawed myself away and ran for the nearest escape route, but I couldn't, and God help me, it wasn't only because I wanted to see my father get justice.

Part of me wanted to know. Part of me just wanted.

He pulled my chin up to look him in those violet eyes. "Do you?" He was so seductive, that I almost didn't care what would happen next. I nodded weakly.

His smile was soft and gentle, but his eyes were anything but. "Good."

His mouth came down on mine and it was more than I could handle. My knees buckled, and he caught me before I fell, lowering me gently to the carpet even as his lips stayed, and I could feel him, pulling at my life. I could feel myself getting more and more weak, my eyes were blurry from it, but at the same time, I could not help the sigh of pleasure that I breathed back into him.

He pulled away, looking down at me. I could see his face, but I couldn't read it. For a moment, I'd have said he looked pained, but as my vision began to fade and I felt myself slipping into the dark, I heard his voice, strained and almost intoxicated.

"I accept."


	5. Chapter 5: Rise and Shine

**NEW! Sorry Again for taking so long, but I promise they will come out much faster now :)**

"Do you think she'll ever wake up?" The soft female voice whispered. She sounded worried. I struggled awake, my eyelids heavy as the quilts my aunt used to sew for winter. I felt a bit of warmth on my face, and turned my head slightly to it. A fire crackled merrily on the wall to my left. I tried to scan the room for the voices, but I was so weak I could hardly turn my head again.

"Master Sebastian said she would, so we 'ave to believe him, don't we?." The male sounded young and sure of himself, that street cockney a stark contrast to the girl's dignified country dialect.

"Water", I managed to croak out, and I heard them both squeal in surprise. Footsteps rushed toward me, and a pair of bright blue eyes blinked down at me, attached to a wide grin.

"You're awake, Mistress. This is great, I was just sayins to Mary how you was gonna be waking any time now. Master Sebastian will be right pleased."

"Shoo, Thomas, can't you see the Mistress needs something to drink? Help me sit her up!" A small heart shaped face swam into my vision, brown hair tied in a strict bun. She had a glass of water, bless her.

"Here you go, Mistress, take slow sips now." I was gulping down the cool liquid like my life depended on it. The way I felt, maybe it did.

Then my memories began to return, in wave after horrifying wave. I stared around at the elegant bedroom, from the canopy bed I was in to the fine furniture and large floor to ceiling windows.

I was in the Phantomhive Mansion. My mansion.

"It was all real."

"What, Miss?" Thomas perked up. At an elbow in the rib from Mary, he apologized, wincing as he rubbed his side. "Oi, I mean Mistress, is there something you needed?"

There were a lot of things I needed. Hundreds of things, but right now, I was beginning to realize just how absolutely disgusting I felt. "How long have I been asleep?"

Mary chewed on her lip, wringing her hands in her apron. She seemed to be dressed like a maid. My maid? "Well Mistress, you've been asleep for about three days now. Master Sebastian told us how you were prone to fits of weakness, what a terrible thing for you to endure!"

I tried to snort, but my throat was too dry. " Yes, fits... terrible." I sighed. Well, I had asked for it, hadn't I? "Mary, is it a safe assumption, considering you are calling me Mistress and you are in this mansion, that you have been hired on as...?"

"Oh! As your servants ma'am, I mean Mistress. Yes!" He curtsied deeply. "My name is Mary Sue, and I will be your maid, if you will have me." She cleared her throat, shooting a look at Thomas.

The blonde youth's eyes widened, and he fumbled into a bow. "Aye Ma-Mistress, my name is Thomas, and I'm the caretaker of the grounds here, if you are accepting." He looked up, hopeful.

I was not sure how safe it was for them, but at the moment, I did not know what else to do. I would have a talk with Sebastian later. "Very well, for now."

They looked relieved. If they only knew...

"Right then!" Mary exploded into action, "you will be wanting to freshen yourself! A nice hot bath is just the thing. Thankfully, that will not be long, as your home is already equipped with all that modern plumbing, so impressive!" She patted my hand and went off to the adjoining bathroom to prepare. I do not think she realized she had not asked me, but I certainly wasn't going to refuse.

"Right then, I'll go let Master Sebastian know you're up and about then." He zipped out of the room, shutting the doors loudly behind him. I sunk back into my pillows, listening to the running taps as Mary filled the large tube with fragrances and soaps.

I was alive, somehow. My idea had worked, or rather, my bluff had. So Demons could feed off of people this way... I wonder why they usually did not? Sebastian had made it seem like a absolutely radical notion. Maybe it was, I honestly had no idea. I brought my shaky fingers up to my lips, remembering the feel of Sebastian's lips on mine. They almost felt like they were permanently branded, as I could still feel something there. I had never been kissed like that before. The only time I had actually been kissed was when Matthew, the farmer's son, had run up to me and stolen a peck when we were thirteen. I had whopped him in the head and he had never tried it again.

This was different in every conceivable way possible. Sebastian was no boy, and I was not a child any longer. And this was not just a kiss.

And it was going to happen again. And again.

I groaned, pulling the cover over me.

"What's that, Mistress?" Mary called from the bathroom. I heard the taps shut off. Lavender and Jasmine floated in the air from the steam. At least I was going to be clean. Small blessings.

My stomach rumbled, and suddenly it felt like I had been punched in the gut. So hungry!

"Mary, could you please ring down and ask someone to perhaps bring me some bread and cheese? I do not believe I have eaten in... well three days."

Mary helped me sit up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. "Oh, do not worry about that , Mistress. Sebastian is preparing dinner as we speak."

Sebastian could cook? Interesting...


	6. Chapter 6: A Lesson Learned

It had been two weeks since I had woken up in the Phantomhive mansion as its new Mistress, and in that time, I had rehabilitated myself from bedridden and pathetic to almost back to full strength, whatever that was for me. I had never been particularly strong, but now I was starting to realize the benefit of physical training.

Which was why I was standing in my own ballroom, now cleared of furniture, except for some thick padded mats, waiting for a demon to teach me how to fight.

This was going to be interesting.

I fidgeted in the quiet room, tugging on my clothes. I had decided that for now, there was no sense in dressing up when no one was going to step foot inside my home without warning, so until I was forced to, I was sticking with my trousers and cotton shirt. Sebastian had tried to dissuade me from it, but I had politely told him to stuff it.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear…Sebastian walked through the propped open doors, and I had a moment of confusion.

"I thought we were supposed to spar today?" He was wearing that same butler suit; apparently he had adopted that role as well. _No one ever suspects the butler,_ he had said with a cat-like smile. He was probably right, but how anyone could not notice or suspect Sebastian, I could not imagine. He had a sly personality, always polite, but underneath it, you could see his mind working. It was unnerving, to say the least.

"We are sparring, why do you ask?"

I stared pointedly at his coat, the tight fit of the shoulders. "That is not exactly a sparring outfit, is it?"

"Do not worry about me", he said, sliding the coat off his shoulders, before rolling his sleeves up his pale arms. Something about seeing him so informal was suddenly as if he had a gun pointed at me. The man wrapped his civility around him in his etiquette, and removing one seemed a dangerous risk of removing the other.

"I am not sure that this is the right time after all. I may need to recover more-"

"Are you afraid?" He grinned, deliberately provoking me. It worked

"Of course not, you work for me." I flashed him my most annoying smile in return.

"I am not sure… I do wonder if you are cut out for this sort of thing…" he trailed off.

"Shut up and fight!" I growled, and I saw his eyes light up right before he rushed me, faster than I could react. I barely got my arms up before I was tackled to the ground, scrambling for air.

"You...were supposed… to teach me first!" I gasped, fighting to expand my lungs.

"Yes, and I did. That was your first lesson." He reached a hand down to me but I swatted it away to stand on my own.

"The first lesson being that you are an insufferable ass?" I sneered.

A smooth eyebrow raised up at me. "First lesson: Your opponent is never going to announce to you that he is coming. Expect an attack at all times, from every person. Friend, foe, and all those in between. Never let your guard down…never assume you will have time to react."

"You could have just told me that", I grumbled, rubbing my shoulder.

"But now you will never forget."

We spent the next two hours sparring. Sebastian taught me how to punch, showed me the varied uses of a well-placed elbow, and how to get out of a grapple, should someone ever grab me. It was exhausting, but exhilarating at the same time, and I could not help but think that in the world, there were so many women who would benefit from this training who would never get to. It was not what ladies did. They had men to defend them…except for when they did not.

I was glad that I could, and that for the moment, I felt a little more powerful than I had when we started; more in control of my life.

The sun was sliding down over the horizon through my large ballroom windows when we declared ourselves done for the day. I lay on the mats, panting, enjoying the workout. Sebastian looked mostly immaculate still, and I felt the strong desire to ruffle his feathers.

"Good work today. I will make a monster out of you yet." He laughed at my expression, holding his hand out like he had earlier. This time, I reached up and took it.

And yanked.

I saw his eyes widen right before he came crashing down, and I quickly utilized what he had taught me to toss him down beside me, before rolling on top in a mount.

"Expect an attack at all times!" I crowed in a fit of laughter.

My laughter died quickly as my eyes met his, glowing slightly in the twilight of the dimming room. He was not smiling. His gaze pinned me where I was, and my heart leapt into my throat as I realized I had made some kind of mistake. This was not some friend or family member I had just grappled. This was Sebastian.

He was a predator, and I had just put him on his back.

"I am sorry, I did not-"

The room spun, and suddenly I was the one on my back, Sebastian's arms caging me like some sort of prey animal. He was so close I could feel him, smell that spicy scent that always seemed to cling to him, like some exotic incense. His eyes burned into mine, before traveling downward, lingering on my neck.

"Sebastian?" I could barely get the words out. My nerve endings were on fire, with his nearness.

For a moment, I thought he had not heard me. Then that wild look wavered, then receded back behind amber depths. "Dinner will be ready in an hour. Go get ready." His voice was soft, almost gentle.

And then he was gone.

I blinked up at the ceiling, stunned. "Alright then."

I admit to being terrified to go down to dinner, but after a good conversation with myself, I got dressed, choosing an emerald green dinner gown with a tall button up collar that came nearly to my chin. I did not delude myself as to why I chose that gown instead of my normal clothes; ever since the ballroom, I had repeatedly rubbed my neck, wondering all the time what Sebastian had been thinking. It did not matter though. What did matter was that I needed to not act like a spooked idiot when I saw him again.

I brushed my hair out and left it down. I was not very good at doing up my hair, so it was usually either in a braid or like this. It felt good to let it loose sometimes, it removed the tension from my scalp.

I made my way down to the dining room as the clock in the hall struck seven, trying not to walk too slow or fast. We would eat, talk, and exchange pleasantries about the food, and I would be off to bed in no time.

Except that Sebastian was nowhere to be found. Instead, Thomas stood at attention, looking nervous, but he grinned at me.

"My lady, dinner is served." He clapped his hands, and Mary came out, bringing the first dish: an appetizer of squash soup and a fruit and nut salad.

"Do not take this the wrong way, you two, but where is Sebastian?"

Mary and Thomas exchanged furtive looks. "Well Miss-Mistress", Thomas said, trying to find the words, "Master Sebastian was a bit worn out by his cooking, and so he asked for us to serve the meal and offer his apologies, but he has retired for the night."

"I see", I say aloud, but inwardly, a wave of disappoint washes over me, which was surprising. I was hoping to avoid him as much as possible, and yet now that I would get to, it seemed wrong. I finished my dinner, which was delicious, but I did not find my normal enjoyment in it.

Finally, I wished Mary and Thomas goodnight, and made my way up to my room. I was about to prepare for bed, when a sudden surge of anger hit me.

"How dare he avoid me?" I wailed to the empty room. Just because I had tackled him, he had gotten so upset about it. No, this was not to be borne.

I swung my door open and began marching down the hall, only to realize that I did not actually know where Sebastian slept. Did he sleep? I knew nothing about Demons, but surely they had to rest somehow.

"No", I say, fighting my instinct to go back to my room. I was going to find Sebastian, and I was going to talk to him.

I knew where Mary and Thomas lived, in the servant quarters. Did Sebastian stay there too? He did like to take his role as a butler rather seriously. So…if he thought of himself as a butler, were there not butler quarters in a mansion? It would be found in a wing near the other two, but in likely a much nicer room. I set off, determined.

The rest of the mansion was fairly dark, but I did find the servant wing, and I made my way quietly down it, trying not to wake the two. The rooms with people in them had wall sconces outside the doors, and I saw that Mary and Thomas's were out. One sconce was still dimly lit however.

"Got you." I took a slow, steady breath, and reached out to the door.

It swung open before I ever touched it. Sebastian stood in the opening, watching me with suspicion, and I had a momentary thought that he was not wearing his jacket again.

"My lady, what can I do for you so late at night?" His voice was thick with polite servility, but his eyes told me otherwise. They were telling me that I should not be here.

"We need to talk", I say, sliding my foot in the door. There was a war going on in his head, I could see it, but finally he swung the door fully open, gesturing.

"Come in then, my lady. It is not as nice as the rest of the house, but…" _Get out now_ , is what he said without saying it.

I ignored him, curious. What was his room like? Was he a secret slob? Would I find weird trinkets and things laying around? I stepped through, and felt mildly disappointed. It was clean as a whistle, and rather cozy. A small fire was going in his room's hearth, and he had clearly been sitting in the chair next to it; there was a book on the table beside it.

"Please", he gestured to the chair. I sat awkwardly, realizing I had invaded his space. It was the only chair in the room; he would either have to sit on the edge of the bed, or stand.

He chose to stand. "What would you like to talk about, my lady?"

"Stop calling me that", I snapped, then backed down a bit. "Just call me Emily, I cannot stand this lady stuff."

"But you are a lady", he pointed out. "You are the heir to the Phantomhive fortune, a noble, at least on your father's side."

"Yes, and I was born in a small house on the moors and I used to wear dresses that I repaired myself, many times. Call me whatever you wish outside of this house or company, but when it is just us… please." I did not want the person I was to be swallowed up by the title I held.

After a moment, he nodded. "Very well, Emily. What do you want to discuss?"

"I… well first I want to apologize. I did not mean to anger you earlier."

He looked genuinely surprised. "Angry? When was I angry?"

I felt my face scrunch up in confusion. "But of course you were angry. When we sparred, and I tackled you… I am afraid I did something quite wrong."

Realization washed across his face, and then amusement. "Ah, I see."

I scowled. "I am not sure what you find funny. Anyway, I intended to come and let you know that I will not have you avoiding me out of anger so, I am apologizing, and now you officially have to forgive me."

He was laughing suddenly, a full, joyous laugh that caught me off guard. I had not heard it before, and the sound was so infectious, that I found myself grinning.

"You… I am sorry… you want me to forgive you…for being angry." He was wiping his eyes, trying to get himself under control.

"Well, yes", I replied, "is that not obvious?"

"Yes yes, quite", he pulled himself together, but his eyes still danced with mirth.

"Am I missing something?" I asked, beginning to feel incredibly stupid.

"Only a bit", he snickered. He walked over to the chair, and knelt in front of me until we were at eye level. "I forget sometimes", he murmured, studying me closely, "how innocent you really are."

My heard sped up in my chest. He was too close. "I am not sure what you mean by that."

"No? Let me enlighten you then." Sebastian's hand, free of gloves, reached up and gently grabbed my chin. "The reason I was avoiding you tonight was not anger, Emily."

"It wasn't?" I accidentally whispered.

He smiled. "No. The reason I was avoiding you is that, quite frankly, I lost control of myself for a moment."

I frowned. "I do not understand."

He sighed, letting go of my chin. His gaze flashed down to the high button collar, and I saw his lips twitch. "Even if you do not consciously understand, I think you do instinctively." He reached to my neck, and I felt a button pop loose, then another.

I grabbed his hand, startled. "What are you doing?" He was very strong though, and even though I struggled to stop those fingers, my dress collar was quite open.

"Lesson two, Emily Phantomhive, and this is an important one, probably the most important lesson I can teach you." Sebastian's smooth fingers slid into my dress and wrapped gently but firmly around my neck. His eyes burned darkly like the embers in the fire behind him. "Men, of any kind, no matter what kind of control they normally possess over themselves, have a weakness; desire. Human or Demon, it is something that burns in the hearts of all." His fingers stroked the soft skin near my collarbone, and I felt faint and warm. "Whether the desire is for power, wealth…or a woman", he leaned in closer, letting me see the desire that I could not see before in his expression, "there is a point where every man can lose control, and decide to take what he wants instead of asking."

"Sebastian", I squeaked, the name barely leaving my lips.

The Demon pushed himself up into the chair against me, and worked that collar away from my throat. He was surrounding me, and I was frozen in the chair, unable to fight…unwilling to fight.

He sighed at the sight of my bare neck. "I do not know what it is about you that I cannot seem to resist. Maybe it is your smell. Lilacs and honey…that is what your soul smells like to me. Tastes like." His head dipped into the bend of my shoulder, and I felt his lips on me, making me shiver and gasp. I was drowning in the sensation. I could feel his mouth gently sucking, as if he could absorb whatever it is he sought through my skin. I felt the soft graze of his teeth and felt myself jerk in delight.

Sebastian pulled away from me, bringing his lips near my ears. "Beware of men trying to avoid you, Emily. It is usually safer for you if you let them." He slid away from me, and I felt a thrill of fear mix with my desire as I saw his eyes: they were nearly black now, with small dying red flecks in them. This was what a Demon looked like, unbound from the effort of looking normal.

He stood up, a small shiver going through him, and turned his back to me to watch the fire. "Go, before I change my mind."

It was as if I had been suddenly freed from shackles. I jumped up, racing toward the bedroom door, but his voice stopped me before I could open it.

"Emily?"

I turned back to him. He was still watching the fire, arms crossed in front of his chest, and I could see the whites of his knuckles as he gripped his arms.

"I highly suggest that next time you feel a sense of modesty coming on, you do not react by trying to cover yourself." He turned his head slightly to the side, catching me in his gaze. "The more you try to hide something, the more I want to find it."

I made some kind of choking sound of acknowledgement, and raced out of the room, forgetting to shut it behind me in my effort to escape the hunger in his eyes.

And the hunger I felt reflected in my own.


End file.
